Salvation Tourniquet
by Quiddie15
Summary: COMPLETE! In her final year at Hogwarts, Angelina faces an uncertain future and tries to cope. In the coming war, where will her loyalties lie? FredAngelina vs. AngelinaMontague OotP timeline with some spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! Time for me to delurk and finally write! This is my first try...so be gentle! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Disclaimer: Just another fanficcer...I don't own anything but the plot.

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Angelina felt the freezing stone of the dungeon corridor's floor beneath her knees, cooling her blood as it pulsed madly through her veins. She heard nothing but her own heartbeat in her ears through the uninterrupted silence, a few scattered sconces throwing out dull imperfect light. 

Through shuddered breaths and hazy, tear-filled eyes, she pushed back the sleeves of her uniform to examine her long, brown, unblemished arms. Her stomach knotted remembering the many nights just like this she would hesitantly mutter a healing charm over freshly-inflicted wounds. In actuality, she wanted to see the scars. Tracing over the finely raised lines on her skin would remind her of the hurt she struggled with on the inside for the last year. Yes, better harmless scars than that cursed mark. She would _never_ take the mark of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!

His return stirred her parents into a fervor she'd never witnessed before. She was so young when he disappeared those years ago. All Angelina ever knew of the truth were boxes she stumbled upon around the age of 6. Black robes and white masks – the only proof she'd needed to realize her parents were long ago and now once again Death Eaters.

With Lord Voldemort's aims at recruiting new followers, most of the children of the Death Eaters had been called into service and worked willingly for him to gather information about Hogwarts and Dumbledore's plans. Every day, she would endure the hateful stares of the others as she passed them in the halls: Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, and especially Draco Malfoy. He was the most persistent of the lot, trying to corner her whenever she was walking alone in the castle and convince her that it was her duty to aid the Dark Lord.

But Angelina would not, even after more than one encounter with the Cruciatus curse. He had laughingly allowed her to live in defiance of him, for the time being. Angelina existed from day to day with the fear that his mercy and patience would run out, and he would force her to make her final choice. And she told herself every day that she would rather die rather than serve him.

Lately, however, her mantra seemed more lip-service as her heart and head battled with the idea of it all. It was when her confusion and anxiety reached a breaking point that she retraced her footsteps down to this abandoned hallway, her wand and whatever pointed tool she could find clutched desperately in her hand. A little cut and the endorphins released at the sight of her own blood would be enough to calm her down and make life bearable once more. But over time the cuts became deeper, and Angelina resorted to more advanced spells to hide the evidence. No one could ever know about her release, and Fred's eyes would be sharp enough to spot the cuts right away. He would ask questions that would endanger him if he knew the answers. And she couldn't lie to him.

Just thinking about Fred caused the tears threatening to come since before dinner to spill down her face and hit the unforgiving stone. Blinking to restore her vision, she realized that she'd already managed to cut herself – deeper than she'd meant to. Great volumes of crimson surged forth from the vertical slit on her right wrist. Mildly shocked, she watched the cut and waited for the glorious adrenaline high to follow. Instead, panic replaced curiosity and she immediately dropped her wand and grasped her wrist, willing herself to stop bleeding. A pained and animalistic noise issued from the back of her throat as her hand failed to staunch the sticky flow, and blood began to ooze from between her fingers.

Seconds dragged out into languorous minutes as she knelt helplessly over the shallow scarlet pool, hardly breathing as she struggled to maintain coherent thought in what she thought would be the last regretful moments of her life. She could see the weak rise and fall of her heart beneath her clothes and silently asserted that she would never have agreed to follow Lord Voldemort. She smiled weakly to herself at this last act of defiance and closed her eyes to welcome unconsciousness.

"My my…isn't it a bit late for Gryffindors to be about? Especially in such dangerous parts of the cas-"

Montague's jeering words were cut short as his eyes met Angelina's unfocused gaze. Alarmed, he looked down to her lamely-clutched wrist spilling into the puddle beneath her.

"Funny, I never thought you the type, Johnson."

Angelina, recognizing Montague as her rival Quidditch captain, tried vainly to draw herself into a more dignified posture. Managing only to briefly curl her lips into her signature cocky smirk, her eyelids fluttered wildly as she passed out before she was even able to feel herself hit the floor.

A sudden gasp for air, and Angelina's eyes shot open as all of her senses came screeching back to life. Several hands flew to hold her down as she jerked to sit up. Looking around she saw that she was in fact lying in a bed in the Hospital Wing, surrounded by her friends: Fred, George, Katie, Alicia, and Lee; and Madame Pomfrey was approaching them with a bottle of some likely hideous potion. The group chuckled at the face Angelina made as she was handed the bottle and told to finish it. They were relieved that she was alright, and upon remembering the events leading up to this point, she was relieved as well.

She looked down at her right wrist, now heavily bandaged and being gingerly cradled by Fred. His eyes remained downcast, apparently deep in thought. Alicia offered to open the bottle for her, and Angelina was grateful that they were not yet bombarding her with questions. Rather, they talked and bickered amoungst themselves as usual, putting her immediately at ease.

She finished the potion after 3 tries of gagging and spitting the rancid syrup and relaxed back into the soft white pillows, occasionally chiming in with her two cents about the upcoming professional Quidditch season. Turning her head, she watched Fred, his eyes still focused downward. She gave his hand a small squeeze, ignoring the mild jolt of pain issuing from the cut. He sighed softly, and Angelina realized he was not simply looking at the floor, but staring quite ardently at the tourniquet she'd arrived in that Madame Pomfrey had loosened but forgotten to remove.

Tied onto her forearm, stained with her blood, was green and silver striped bit of silk. The tie worn on the uniforms of those in Slytherin house. Fred's eyes, worn with thought and worry, looked up to meet hers finally. He raised an eyebrow inquisitively, reading the dawning recognition on Angelina's face. So, it _had_ been Montague that brought her here. He could have easily turned and walked away, but he hadn't. Refusing to bother herself with the question of why he would do such a thing just then, she lay back into the pillows and closed her eyes and hoped Madame Pomfrey would be by again soon to shoo the lot from the wing and let her get some rest.


	2. Chapter 2

Here I go again! Couldn't just leave it a one-shot!

Disclaimers: All the credit goes to Jo!

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David couldn't help but shift uncomfortably in his seat as he ate his breakfast in the Great Hall. If she stared any harder, she would bore a hole right through him! Since the day of her release from the hospital wing, Angelina seemed intent on staring down Montague to death.

He'd noticed it right away…Pucey thought it was funny at first too. But the gaze had somehow turned from inquisitive to something more hostile…more desperate to catch his eye. And that's when he became uncomfortable.

He gave in as he did every day and slowly lifted his eyes from his eggs until he felt the electric jolt that told him he'd met Angelina's gaze. Her brown eyes narrowed accusingly. Why was she so mad at him! Hadn't he helped her that night in the dungeons?

Damn Gryffindors and their inability to just bloody let things go, he mumbled to himself. His own expression frosted over, apparently surprising Angelina. He rolled his eyes and broke the eye contact, sick of these stupid games they played every day. Another meal ruined, he angrily dropped his spoon and pushed his plate away.

"Again, Montie? What's with this sudden loss of appetite? What's goi-" Millicent Bulstrode reached a sympathetic hand out to pat his shoulder, but found herself brutally rebuffed as he slapped her hand away and got up from the table.

Angelina watched surreptitiously as David Montague exited the Great Hall, muttered some quiet excuse to those around her, and followed him out the door. Fred was the only one that noticed her chasing at the heels of the Slytherin, and began to put two and two together.

Fighting every urge to follow with a set of Extendable Ears conveniently waiting in his pocket, he was sidetracked by George suddenly leaning in to ask him about the potential side-effects of a new Snackbox they were working on to cause temporary nosebleeds. He surrendered his plans and began plotting with his twin.

Meanwhile, in the hallway, Angelina was running down the halls, cursing to herself at having lost David in a matter of seconds. Undeterred, she stopped and closed her eyes to listen for footsteps. Hearing nothing but the usual murmurs of the castle, she swore under her breath once more and turned to head back to her common room.

"Well, we can count out 'Auror' as a potential career path, Johnson. You're a terrible tracker."

She heard his unmistakably smooth voice behind her, and didn't realize she was smiling when she turned around to face him.

"What's that stupid grin for, anyhow?"

Angelina's expression dropped immediately as she crossed her arms defensively and opened her mouth to retort.

"Please, spare me," His voice seemed a little more defeated than she'd expected. "So, are you going to tell me why you've been staring at me and now stalking me around the school? Or will I just have to guess?"

Angelina bit her lip and stared at the thin slit running across the skin of her inner right wrist. "Guess I just wanted to thank you."

David's expression tightened as he shrugged. "Yeah, okay. Is that all?"

Angelina looked as though she'd just been slapped. "Well, yeah! I think it is! Merlin forbid I should want to thank you for doing something like this for me…"

"Like what?"

"Like _saving my life_, you insufferable prat!"

"Oh, well, don't think too much into it…"

"Why not? You didn't have to take me to the hospital wing! I ruined your tie!"

David raised an eyebrow a chuckled softly at her ludicrous exclamation. Angelina laughed in spite of herself. That hadn't come out quite how she'd meant it. She stopped, realizing he'd grown quiet and was now staring rather intently at her.

"What makes you think I had a choice, Angelina?"

She blinked quickly several times, realizing that was the first time he (or pretty much any Slytherin) had ever used her first name. She felt a dull heat creep up her neck and face, making the moment even more difficult than it already was. She stammered, too afraid to look away from him just then.

"I just thought that with you being in Slytherin and all…and me in Gryffindor…I just…I dunno…"

Montague seemed to grow more imposing and dangerous right in front of her as he exploded with what seemed like long-pent up anger and frustration. "The world isn't simply divided into good and evil, you idiot!"

"Don't you dare speak to me that way, David!"

They both froze immediately. The way she'd used his name…there was a strange sort of intimacy to it. She hadn't even meant to use his first name. It had just sort of come out. They stood in awkward silence, inexpressible emotions passing vainly between them. The seconds dragged out into long moments, each unsure of what was to happen next.

Suddenly, the sounds of doors opening and the collective murmurs of many a student began to fill the air. Their time was up. Angelina still stared unashamedly at Montague, who fiddled in the pockets of his robes momentarily before pulling out his wand.

"This is the way you want it, right? Fine. I'll be the villain…and here comes the hero now."

He glanced sidelong at the throng of people approaching them, Fred at the head of the pack. His own wand brandished, Fred yelled the Disarming jinx, sending David's wand skidding across the floor.

Angelina's face was contorted in a mix of confusion and horror. Was he actually going to hex her? And what point was he trying to prove? His inferior attitude was beginning to annoy her. She didn't like being spoken down to – especially by the likes of him.

Snapping out of her silent reverie, she saw that a circle of studentshad formed around the three of them, and Fred was on top of David trying his best to throttle the Slytherin. Angelina immediately set to pulling Fred off of him, and succeeded with great difficulty. As she managed to push the Weasley away, she quietly whispered down to the bemused Montague, "There, that makes us even. Doesn't it?"

David returned her small smile, making Angelina's stomach knot. He licked away a trickle of blood from his lip, but made no move to get up from the ground. He looked like he was about to say something in return, but Angelina was suddenly yanked away by Fred.

After bludgeoning her with questions to see if she was all right, Angelina nodded blankly and allowed herself to be lead away to their first classes by Fred and the others. It took all of her will power to keep from looking back over her shoulder once more, just to see if her was still there, smiling that mysterious smile, knowing something she didn't. Arrogant git.


	3. Chapter 3

Three updates 4 days…whew! I guess this has been just building up for a while! Guess I'll go with it though. And don't forget to let me know how I'm doing!

And just for the record – I really **am** a F/A shipper, but it's not really coming out that well right now!

Disclaimer: Borrowing characters from Madame Rowling!

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"I do NOT have a temper!" Angelina fumed, her eyes scanning the common room table for something to throw. Spotting the now-cowering Hermione amongst a large stack of books, she grabbed one and heaved it at Fred with all the velocity and accuracy one would expect from Gryffindor's star chaser and captain.

"Whoa! Watch it Angie, you nearly hit me!"

"I won't miss twice!" A second book flew towards the redheaded twin. He shot a pleading glance in the direction of Lee, George, Alicia, and Katie. Lee decided to step in seeing as the other two chasers were just as upset at the twins and Harry for getting kicked off the team that day.

"Angie, you've got to calm down. You're scaring the first-years…hell, you're scaring the _prefects_!"

He physically had to grab the rabid 7th year and sit her onto one of the large red chairs by the fire. Kneeling beside her, he tried his best to calm her down from the brink of madness, though he understood completely.

With both beaters and Harry gone, she would have a nearly entirely new team to work with. Lee could practically see the poor girl's hopes of the Quidditch Cup floating away.

"Would you please," Angelina growled through gritted teeth, "tell _your_ friend Frederick that if he so much as even looks at me, I will hex him into oblivion." As proof of her resolve, she clenched her wand tightly in her hand before stomping up the stairs into her dormitory.

"Awww…Angelina, that's not fair!" Fred hung his head pathetically and mumbled to George as Lee shrugged and went to sit back with the dejected brothers once more.

"Give her time, mates," Alicia cooed.

"Yeah, she's just a bit out of sorts right now. She'll get over it soon." Katie added hopefully. The moment George locked eyes with the transparent blonde he knew she was just trying to be kind. The girls offered a few more words of comfort then left the common room for their dorms as well.

"Wait," Fred looked up, his face a paragon of fierce determination. "This ends now. I'm not going to let her do this to me again…Angelina!"

His voice bellowed through the common room and up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. He marched to the base of the stairs, his eyes staring daggers as the door to the 7th years' room opened slightly, and two sets of startled eyes peered out. "F-Fred?"

He glared at the staircase, loathing the founders for having installed boy-proof charms onto it. Leering at the girls, but not really acknowledging their astonishment, he growled again.

"Get. Her. Now."

The door snapped shut momentarily before Angelina strode purposefully out, her expression defiant and hostile. "Some of us have practice in the morning. Seems like I'll have to make some last-minute replacements since some of us couldn't keep a cool head on the pitch…"

Fred listened to her, fuming as she slowly descended the staircase and faced him nearly eye-to-eye. Why did she have to be so bloody tall?

"Enough, Angie! I'm sick of this! I'll have you remember that I never laid a hand on the little git! You were one of the people holding me back! And frankly I'm sick and tired of the way you're treating me…the way you've _been_ treating me! It's not fair!"

"What are you, Fred, a five year old? I'm sorry that I'm not sitting around here playing the 'Lets-Pity-Fred' game like everyone else, but I've got bigger problems to deal with than your dainty feelings!"

He blinked, cut deeply by her words. "That's a fine way to talk, Angie! I didn't know I meant so little to you. I didn't know I was wasting my time…"

"What in the name of Merlin are you getting at? When have you been wasting your time on me?"

There was the tiniest little cough from the book-covered table. Hermione peered up from one of her many volumes of text, reminding Angelina that there were still many students sitting around the common room, enthralled with unfolding drama.

"Don't mean to pry, but I just thought you ought to know that when you were…umm…in the hospital wing, Fred was there the whole time sitting beside you."

"It's true," Ron chimed in, eager to help his brother. "Snape gave him a week's detention for missing class. He tried to take points, but McGonagall gave 'em back when she found out he wasn't trying to cause trouble for once."

Never one to take being ganged-up on well, Angelina scowled and rolled her eyes. "Well, you'll have plenty of time to serve them now, won't you!"

Fred threw up his hands and turned away. "That's it! I give up!"

"What do you want from me, Weasley?"

Fred slowly turned around, and the entire common room seemed electric with anticipation. He took her gently by the shoulders, his eyes frantically searching her guarded expression. Having apparently made his mind up about something, he leaned in and softly pressed his lips to hers.

His hands slipped from her arms to the small of her back, and her own hands came to rest on his chest. The sense of relief was quickly broken when Fred was suddenly pushed back…and slapped. Hard.

"How dare you! I don't need your pity, Fred!"

Fred rubbed his cheek, red from not only the slap but also a mingled sense of embarrassment and frustration. "Are you completely nutty? Who said anything about pity?"

Angelina held up her wrist, the scar hardly visible in the low light cast by the fireplace. "You never had to say anything. Ever since this, you've been treating me like some fragile piece of glass. But I'm not! I'm not damaged goods! I'm not suicidal or crazy or anything like that! So once again, I don't want your pity. And I don't need to be rescued!"

Fred jumped on the chance to pry her for information he'd wanted since the moment he found out about her 'accident'. "Well, maybe I wouldn't be this way if you'd just tell me what's going on with you! You don't talk to us anymore. I can't read minds, Angie, and I don't think anyone else can either. So if you'd just open up a little bit, we could do something. We could help…"

"No! See, that's it! What on earth makes you think I need or want your help! It's _not_ your job to watch out for me. There isn't some old Gryffindor Code of Honor proclaiming it your duty to protect me! If I want to keep this to myself, I will!"

"Well you know what? That's fine with me. I am so damn tired of caring about you, Angelina! I refuse to let you take me for granted anymore. I won't always be here. So you can do whatever you want, because I'm done with you."

He turned on his heel and walked away from her. Angelina didn't know quite how to react. Of course deep down she wanted to tell him everything: the cutting, her parents, Montague, Lord Voldemort, everything. But as usual, her pride won out.

Her heart ached as she let him walk away, her body language indifferent to his departure. It was only when she felt the eyes of all the students lingering in the common room that she succumbed to her need to flee. She had to get out of the room; she needed somewhere to think.

She sprinted out of the portrait hole, deaf to the complaints of the Fat Lady as her painting slammed into the opposite wall. Her feet retraced familiar steps towards the dungeons, and she was glad to be free of any pointed objects. Turning a corner, she passed a long-abandoned room. The door was ajar, and she could hear voices coming from within.

"Come on, Montie. I'm sure I can think of something that will make you feel better…"

Angelina hesitated before kneeling down and peering into the classroom, where two familiar Slytherins were entangled in the pale light cast by a single wand. Angelina grinned as that great cow Millicent Bulstrode tried to push herself onto Montague.

She stood and pushed the door open, laughing openly as Millicent's dull eyes opened wide with shock. Montague merely turned his head and nodded his approval of her intrusion.

Ignoring the Slytherin girl entirely, David sat up and straightened out his uniform. "Down here again, Johnson? I bet I know why. But fair warning: I'm not wasting another tie on you."

Angelina felt herself begin to flush, but calmed at Millicent's puzzled expression. "Did I interrupt anything important?"

"Well of course you did, you stupid bi-"

"No, not at all. Millicent was just leaving."

Insulted, the girl left in a huff, mumbling dangerously under her breath. Montague rolled his eyes, clearing his throat and looking a bit put out. Angelina decided against her better judgment and risked sitting next to him, her eyes downcast. "I had a fight with Fred, just now."

"What makes you think I give a damn? You won this morning, and you interrupted a private ahem_meeting_ of mine. And you think I want to talk? Look, you really must be confused. But I'm not your friend. I don't give a kneazle's butt about you. Don't confused charity with kindness."

"I'm sick and tired of being talked down to. By you and everyone else around here! Why do you think I'm some sort of charity case?"

"Maybe, and I'm just guessing here, it's because I caught you trying to kill yourself down here a few weeks ago. Just a thought."

"I wasn't tying to…I didn't mean to cut that deep. I'm normally good at not going too deep. I just got a little distracted and…"

"And almost got yourself killed in the process. You've got some issues to work out, and marring that pretty skin of yours isn't going to solve it."

Angelina smiled softly at the compliment. She looked up at him, but before getting a chance to speak, he began again. "Yes, you're pretty, Johnson. Everyone knows it, and whoever denies it is lying. No, that doesn't mean I'm interested in you one bit. You're not my style. I helped you because surprisingly enough, I respect you. You don't deserve that kind of end. No, that still doesn't mean I'm interested in you.

He looked her in the eyes, his expression akin to getting his teeth pulled. "You hurt yourself because you don't know how to deal with your parents now that Voldemort's back. Malfoy filled me in. You're better than that. What a waste of talent to be ruined just because you hate your mum and dad. Be your typical self and just say 'To hell with you!' and live your own life. It doesn't matter what they think anyway. And if you look at me like that any longer, Merlin help me I will have to kiss you."

Angelina's jaw dropped as she registered the whole of what he'd said. Had she just been given advice from a Slytherin? She shivered, realizing suddenly that she was sitting in a secluded room with David Montague, wearing nothing but thin scarlet-and-gold pajamas.

Her thoughts were as far from Fred as they could ever get as she weighed her options. Montague didn't pity or try and coddle her. He respected her. He wanted her. And right then, Angelina needed to be wanted. She raised her hand to caress his face but his own hand shot up and held her firmly by the wrist.

"Sorry, I thought you were going to-"

His apology was cut short as Angelina leaned in and kissed him. The surge of adrenaline when he'd grabbed her wrist had been enough to turn impulse into action. She was pleasantly alarmed by the fervor with which he returned her kisses; his tongue pleading for more and more of her as his hands snaked around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He growled in a hungry, predatory way, and Angelina threw her arms around his neck and slid gracefully onto his lap.

Suddenly, though, David seemed to freeze up. He stood quickly, dropping Angelina quite unceremoniously onto the ground. Glaring at her as if she'd committed some horrible crime, he shook his head and mumbled too low to be comprehended.

"No, you're not going to do this to me, Johnson…"

"Do what? I thought this was what you wanted!"

"Doesn't matter what I want. Now get out of here before I tell Snape you're out past curfew!"

Angelina stood and glared right back at him. "Well, that would mean you were out of your dorms too, wouldn't it? And you'd be in just as much trouble as…"

She was cut off by his haughty snort. But he was right. What made her think Snape would actually punish a member of his own house when it meant he'd get to dock points from Gryffindor?

Her eye twitched menacingly, and she thought she saw a flicker of some other emotion besides disdain in Montague's eyes. Angrily hoping he was feeling a fraction of her frustration, she tossed her braided hair over her shoulder and left the room.

Heavy with conflicting emotions, Angelina swung a balled hand into the very solid stone wall, causing an uncharacteristically loud noise to issue from beneath the rock. Unknown to her, however, David had just upturned the large oak desk at the same time, resulting in the thud.

In the castle that night, three very different souls fought to make sense of themselves and the night's events.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry about the delay in update! This chapter gave me a bit of trouble. hope it came out all right though. I know what direction I want the story to go in. It's just a matter of getting it there. Anyway, enjoy!

insert plea for reviews here

Disclaim: Per usual, all the characters are JK Rowling's. The manner in which they are used is mine!

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Angelina's near-broken world was finally starting to come back together. Her homework in the N.E.W.T. level courses received nothing below 'E', and she gained newfound confidence from her night with Montague. In some strange way, for some unknown reason, he'd been _afraid_ of her. She slowly began to feed on that newfound sense of power, and exploited every possible opportunity to make her presence known to him.

In potions class, she took great care to draw his attention; the slightest shift in her seat would cause his dark, insidious eyes to flit to her. When she would notice, she'd narrow her eyes arrogantly and smirk. The color would drain from David's face, and he would throw himself even more fervently into his work, only to be disrupted again seconds later as he noticed her tucking a loose braid behind her ear out of the corner of his eye.

She had him, and they both knew it. But he was one to never concede control to another – especially her. Something would have to be done to put her back into place, and sever the hold she had over him.

Angelina also took great pride in the surge of attention being paid to her once more by the male population at Hogwarts. She'd been most surprised to learn that nearly the entire school had just assumed her to be dating Fred, and once word of the almighty row they'd had in the common room got around, many a suitor took renewed interest in the Gryffindor.

"Mark, that's really nice and all, but I really can carry my own books!"

"Don't worry about it, Angie. We're headed in the same direction…"

"Well, actually, aren't the Greenhouses on the other side of the castle? I'm headed for the Astronomy Tower."

"Yeah, well-"

"Chambers!" Mark was saved from thinking up some sloppy lie as Roger Davies stormed angrily towards them, "What do you think you're doing? She's a Gryffindor…and our opponent!"

Angelina bit her lip to keep from laughing as the Ravenclaw captain fussily handed back her books and dragged his teammate off in the other direction. Smiling cockily to herself, she turned on her heel to head to her next class when she nearly ran into a formidable-looking Montague, smirking down at her.

"Whoa! Dammit, Montague, you scared the magic outta me…" He shrugged slightly but made no move to step out of her way.

"Seriously though. I need to get to class now. I have it on good authority (that meant the twins had overheard it with their Extendable Ears) that Sinistra's giving a pop quiz."

David still made no effort to move, and Angelina resorted to her dirtiest method to get past him. Tossing her hair back, she batted her eyelashes coquettishly and flirtatiously played with his tie, all in hopes of getting that same odd aversion-reaction from him. He simply grabbed her hands and shook his head.

"Not going to work anymore, Angelina. I'm most certainly on to you now. And I must say, though I'm a bit incensed at your exploitation of me these last few days, I cannot help but think you'd have made an excellent Slytherin."

She nodded at the near-compliment but dropped the arrogant demeanor. His hands still held fast to her wrists, and he'd forced them down to her sides. She immediately recognized his efforts to force her into a more submissive position, and quirked an eyebrow.

"So, do you have something to say to me? Or maybe you just like a bit of foreplay between classes? At any rate, I'm in a rush right now. Maybe later."

David paused thoughtfully. The truth was he hadn't actually thought of a reason to accost Angelina in the hallway. Something had simply driven him to get a little closer, to remind her that she'd wanted him just as bad as he'd wanted her that night. But how could he say that?

Angelina took advantage of his very expository pause. "It's all beginning to make sense now, _Montie_. I can see it, but are you ready to admit it? No, I think not. But for the record, I think it's perfectly sweet."

She smiled an Umbridge-esque, overly saccharine smile as she slipped her wrists out of his grip. His perplexed expression grew darker by the second. Clearly, this wasn't nearly as amusing to him as she thought it would be. She giggled antagonistically.

"Think about it. You can't help but stare at me whenever we're in the same room. You're here, now – full of some sort of emotion with nothing to say. And I still remember what you said that night. Go on, put it all together. I already have, but maybe that's just because I'm rather used to it by now."

Her mood hardened and her voice was sharp and hardly above a whisper. "You know what I'm talking about. So go on and say it, because I've got better things to do than to wait for you to come to terms with it, Montague."

_So_, he thought, _we're back to last names_. He knew full well what she was alluding to. After all the examples she'd listed, it was near undeniable. What infuriated him was her annoyance with the whole situation. He was a Slytherin, yes, but that didn't mean his feelings were of any less value than anybody else.

But he _had_ just witnessed her treatment of Mark Chambers two minutes earlier as well. She was in fact just as callous with the hearts of others. And that made her uglier to him that Millicent Bulstrode without any makeup on.

"It really is a wonder you weren't put in Slytherin. You have the perfect temperament, Johnson. So I'll be the bigger person and say it first. Yes, perhaps I do have some sort of desire for you. But none of that matters much so long as you are the way you are."

He snorted at her indignant glare. "You play with hearts like toys, Johnson. Perhaps you're afraid that if you let anyone get close enough to hurt you, they will? But trust me, you won't have to worry about that for too much longer. That pedestal you've been preening on for so long will crumble soon and you'll end up your worst fear – miserable, misunderstood, and utterly unloved."

She stared at him, mouth agape and speechless. But he wasn't quite through yet. "Don't make the mistake of thinking I'll be there for you when you need me – _and I know you need me, Angelina_. I've neither the disposition nor the inclination to be some sort of dark savior to you. I can only hope that someday you'll figure out how to feel instead of bleed, before it's too late."

Angelina was left alone once more, reeling from his words. But they weren't solely his. Fred had said nearly the exact same things to her earlier, and she'd refused to listen. She swore aloud into the deserted corridor as stinging tears began to well in her eyes. She didn't know what to think of herself, of David, of Fred, and of the life she thought was coming closer to perfection once more.

No longer in the mood to wallow in her own woes, she sprinted down the halls and up the stairs to Astronomy, losing her house 10 points for her tardiness. As they took the quiz he'd correctly predicted, Fred glanced up occasionally at a distraught-looking Angelina. He felt pangs of guilt at having fought with her earlier that week, and vowed to pull her aside later that evening and apologize.

The opportunity never arose, though, as Angelina worked harder that ever to make herself scarce after dinner. Alicia and Katie both informed Fred she was studying up for the N.E.W.T.s in the library and didn't want to be disturbed. Unbeknownst to anyone but herself, she was looking for any means of distraction possible, and she was only barely able to take solace in her old copy of _Most Potente Potions_.

The evening passed quickly in a blur of bezoars and full moon-contingent antidotes, and Angelina soon found herself shooed from the library by Madame Pince. Still not quite ready to face her thoughts and problems, she merely relocated her studying to a large and heavily worn armchair beside the common room's fireplace.

Sometime after midnight, even the overly complicated potions couldn't maintain her attention. Book across her chest, she fell into a fitful sleep plagued with thoughts she'd tried so hard to keep at bay during the daytime.

She was running thought the hallways, yelling for help. She'd cut herself again, but this time it was an accident. But nobody would help her; they were all turning around and plugging their ears up with their fingers and humming softly. Dizzy and desperate, she began to scream that there were Death Eaters in the castle, coming towards them all. But still nobody listened.

She began to panic more as the sound of footsteps approaching from behind grew louder and louder. She was too scared to turn around, but she stood there screaming in the middle of the Great Hall listening as the footsteps ran up right behind her and-

There was a loud thump that woke her suddenly. She looked to her left to see a very frightened Neville picking himself up from the rug and continuing to run out through the portrait hole. She watched silently as he promptly returned with Professor McGonagall in tow, her face as terse as Angelina had ever seen it. She disappeared up the stairs to the boys' dormitory and returned moments later sweeping out Harry and Ron with her.

She was happy that no one bothered to notice the lanky Gryffindor sprawled over the chair, but sat and pondered what the late-night emergency might be. If it involved Harry, there was a good chance Lord Voldemort would be tied to it as well. Just the thought of her troubles with Him and the Death Eaters sent shivers down her spine.

Her silent contemplation was broken once more as Professor McGonagall reappeared some time later. She looked right at Angelina as she emerged through the portrait hole. Angelina jumped.

"Oh calm down, Miss Johnson. Please go wake up Miss Weasley. She is need by the Headmaster. Quickly now!"

Angelina did as she was told and scrambled up the girls' staircase as the professor once again swept up the boys' side. When she came downstairs moments later with a bleary-eyed Ginny, the professor was waiting with far-more alarmed twins. In hushed tones, she informed the group as to why they had been woken.

"Mr. Potter seems to have had a vision of your father being attacked by a large snake during his service with the Order. Follow me. He'll inform you in greater detail than I can."

With that, the dazed Weasley children preceded to head towards Dumbledore's office. Angelina was left with many a question unanswered. What was "The Order"? Harry had visions? She was snapped out of her reverie as the portrait swung open for the group to exit.

"Fred!"

Her voice was panicked and a little shaky. He turned around and looked at her. Her lips parted but no words came out. She could hear what she wanted to say in her mind. _Fred, I'm sorry. Fred, I hope you're dad's all right. Fred, I need you to forgive me for being such a prat. Fred, I need you**. Fred, I love you**_.

George and Ginny looked back momentarily, and George patted his brother on the shoulder before ducking out of the room. Angelina began to blush as she stood there in the pregnant silence.

Fred's eyes glittered with understanding and compassion, but at his brother's touch, he did nothing but give Angelina a curt nod before following the others. Inwardly, though, he understood everything that hadn't been said.

Angie was terrible at apologies, and he knew simply from looking in her concerned and penitent eyes that she'd taken what he said to heart...that she really did care; more then he'd ever imagined. Reflected in the dark brown pools of her eyes, he saw love.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey Guys! Thanks so much for your reviews. I really appreciate them!

So, this chapter was a reminder to me that there IS a point to this story beyond the love-triangle! Actually, I hadn't intended for any sort of relationshippish action at all, but it sort of came out towards the end. Oh well, I hope you guys like it anyhow! Thanks for reading! Enjoy! ((Oh yeah, and I'm on a roll again so the next chapter should be coming fairly soon!))

Disclaimer: You know the drill. Not mine. No money. No sue.

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"Dammit!"

Katie and Alicia both looked, startled, at Angelina as the silence of their studying was so oddly broken.

"Every time," Angelina muttered under her breath, "Every time I leave something back there! Sorry mates, did it again. Left my wand back in the changing room after practice. Going to need it if we're practicing charms later, yeah? I'll be back, but I wish it weren't so bloody cold right now."

She stood up from their table in the common room and looked out of the window into the inky blackness of the winter night. She shrugged and quickly ran up to her room and grabbed her cloak and scarf before heading out the tower and out of the castle.

The freezing air practically knocked the wind out of her as she broke into a full sprint just to keep warm. It was actually too cold to snow just then, so Angelina's biggest worries were patches of icy grass as she rapidly covered the distance between the nice, warm, cozy castle and the building at the end of the Quidditch pitch.

Finally reaching her destination, she was pleased to find that for some reason the main door was unlocked. She entered and muttered the password to the Gryffindor lockers and noticed her wand immediately as it poked longingly from her still-open locker. She grabbed it, gave it a sweet little kiss, and headed back out of the room for the second time that day.

On her way out, though, she noticed one of the other rooms well lit with the door slightly ajar. Screwing up her face in concentration, she remembered that Slytherin was scheduled for an evening practice that day as well. Tentatively, she took a small step forward and made out two distinct voices bickering. One was a slow sort of drawl; the other unmistakeably familiar, though she hadn't heard it since before the winter holidays.

Always curious, she decided to kill two birds with one stone by practicing a new charm and getting a chance to listen better. Raising her wand above her head, she rapped it hard on the top of her skull and felt the unpleasant trickling sensation that meant she'd done the Disillusionment Charm correctly. Examining her hands, they looked like an oddly warped version of the dark paneled walls around her. She quietly stepped closer to the door and listened in.

"You know well enough that there's only a few more months left in the school year, Montague. Upon graduation, you'll have to go face that big, scary world all by yourself. But you know we can help. The Dark Lord provides for his followers."

There was a small snort, and Draco spoke again, this time clearly more annoyed. "My father can set you up with a very nice job right out of Hogwarts. All he asks in return is you loyalty. Think about it, won't you?"

Angelina strained to hear what she could only speculate was David's low growling voice. What on earth was he saying? Would he actually agree to take the Dark Mark? Angelina felt a wave of embarrassment at her naivety. He was who he was, and a Slytherin through and through.

Just because he'd had feelings for her at some point a while back didn't make him a good guy. Her thoughts were cut off as Draco roared. "Please! I don't know where you've been getting these silly ideas of yours, Montague. Perhaps that little Gryffindor you've been fancying for so long?"

Angelina gave a self-righteous little snort. What on earth did he mean by 'little'? She was older, and taller, than him by quite a bit. She felt flashes of her temper, and had to work a good deal to keep herself from storming in right then and strangling the obnoxious little git.

"And just because you've been ignoring her doesn't mean we don't still know how you feel. Besides, you should know that the Dark Lord had plans for her as well. She'll be on our side soon or none at all. He is growing tired of her insolence. So why don't you go ahead and tell her how you feel? _You_ _might end up saving her life in the process_. I'm sure the Dark Lord will approve of the match. I'll even be your Best Man…"

She felt the bile rise up into her throat as Malfoy laughed. She heard some more mumbled words and then a loud thud. Seconds later, the door nearly hit her as it swung open and an outraged Montague stormed out with Malfoy following a few steps behind, cradling his cheekbone gingerly. "You're making a mistake! Mark my words; nothing **_you_** do is going to change her fate. You might as well look out for yourself!"

Angelina remained flattened against the wall as Montague passed her in one direction while Draco stomped off towards the exit. David just stood at the end of the hallway, only moving once the outside door has shut itself once more.

"So, how much did you hear?"

Angelina's breath hitched in her throat as he slowly turned around and searched the room, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Yes, Johnson, I'm talking to you. I know you're here. So," he finally 'spotted' her huddled against the wall. "I'll ask again: how much did you hear?"

She stood slowly, forgetting about the charm making her nearly invisible as she walked towards him. "I couldn't make out anything you were saying, but I heard Malfoy's offer to you. And how did you know I was here?"

David's face tightened into a thinly-veiled mask of hatred at the sound of Malfoy's name. "So I guess you and I have something in common now, don't we?"

"But I heard him saying something about Voldemort having plans for…he was talking about me, wasn't he?"

Angelina blushed slightly, remembering the way Draco has spoken about her to David. Malfoy was holding David's feelings for her against him, and she had to admit feeling a certain sort of pride in it. "Don't play dumb. Of course he was talking about you. And he wouldn't tell me what they're planning. Do you have any idea what he meant?"

She shook her head as fear began to grip the pit of her stomach. Her face paled a bit as her mind raced through the thousands of things Draco could have possible meant. Torture…blackmail…death?

Her knees began to weaken dangerously until they finally gave out. She waited to hit the ground, but felt herself supported around her waist by two very strong, very protective arms. She looked up at a pair of concerned eyes as David pulled her closer to him. "I'm sure that not what he meant, Angie."

Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed herself a moment of weakness. Still trembling, she cried into his neck, unable to control the plethora of emotions bearing down on her. She was terrified. But here was David, someone that knew her secrets and understood her fear. And she somehow knew that he was a little afraid too. Not only for himself, but for her as well.

And so he held her. He held her and didn't feel ashamed of her tears. He held her as long as she needed someone like him to support her and keep her from falling. She'd done as he had told her: she learned to feel.

And although he hated that it had led her back into Fred's arms, she was here in his right now. She needed him. And he silently vowed that no matter what happened in the future, he would do whatever it took to make sure he was there for her.

Slowly, they parted. Angelina felt extremely self-conscious and wiped her eyes furiously and tried to scrape some sort of dignity from the situation. David, though, looked rather at peace with the situation, his face calm and determined as he used his own wand to lift the disillusionment from her.

"If I find out anything more about this, I'll tell you straight away."

Angelina nodded mutely and pulled her cloak tightly around her, heading for the door.

"Wait!" Angelina turned around to face Montague again from the doorway. "Just to answer your question, most of the time I just know when you're nearby. I can feel it."

He looked down at the floor, embarrassed with his admission. Angelina smiled softly and walked back over to him and cradled his face in her hands. She noticed absently how pretty his eyes really were as she leaned up and kissed him on the forehead.

He closed his eyes and relished her gentle touch, wanting to reach out and hold her again, this time for himself. He let her pull away, willing his skin to forever remember the feel of her hands and lips on his face.

She checked her pocket, making sure her wand was still securely inside it. His eyes still closed, she heaved a quiet sigh and turned, walking out of the door and through the cold back towards the castle. Back to Fred. Back to pretending everything was going to be okay when there was no doubt in her mind that things would never be okay again.


	6. Chapter 6

Yay! I'm pretty happy with this chapter. I've been trying to get to it for a while now. It's longer than the rest, and hopefully better than the last ones (proving evilevergreen wrong). Anyway, I don't know exactly how much it's worth, but I'd like to dedicate this chapter to her as a thanks for her input and support! Enjoy it guys...because there's not much left to go...((dun dun duuuunnnn...))

Disclaimer: These get old pretty fast...please don'tsue me; this is just a happy lil fanfic!

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Angelina stood outside the hospital wing waiting for Ron as he explained to Madame Pomfrey that Jack Sloper had in fact knocked _himself_ out with his bat during practice. Angelina buried her face in her hands at the miserable state of her team. Ron was great at goalkeeping as long as there were no more than 6 people watching, her beaters couldn't hit the bludger if their lives depended on it **but** were apparently quite apt at connecting with their own bodies…

The door shut and Ron gave her a helpless shrug. She patted him on the shoulder as they began to walk back to Gryffindor Tower chatting idly about chaser formations and their chances at the Cup.

"Yeah, but the Cannons have mastered the Hawkshead…"

"And look what good it does them without a single decent chaser among them!"

"C'mon Angie, Apollo is really starting to come into his own now."

She rolled her eyes at his misguided allegiance to the Chudley Cannons and held her tongue. She'd always thought Apollo one of the great jokes of Professional Quidditch; his father was a famous seeker in his time while Apollo had never actually wanted to play quidditch.

He'd only played at Hogwarts because a girl he'd fancied asked him to try out. He was decent, but people always thought him better than he actually was because of his dad. And if anybody bothered to read the back page of the sports section of the _Prophet_, they'd all know it too.

"Anyway, I'd been meaning to ask you about something."

Angelina perked up at the more serious tone Ron had taken. Curious, she nodded. "I was just wondering if anything was…the matter. Like if you had something you needed to talk about."

Angelina raised an eyebrow. "Weasley, what on earth are you getting at? What makes you think something's wrong?"

Apparently her reaction had been more defensive than she'd intended, because Ron immediately launched into series of apologetic mumblings. Angelina could only blink confusedly as she tried to make sense of his disjointed words, noticing than he distinctly mentioned Fred several times as he rambled.

He was only snapped back into coherence when a rather stressed-looking Hermione stomped down the corridors waving some sort of color-coded chart at the two of them. Ron shrunk back a step behind her, and having a pretty decent idea of Hermione's temperament, Angelina decided to spare her keeper if only for a few minutes.

"Sorry, Hermione, I'll need him for just a bit longer. We're discussing…attitudes. Now, what were you saying about mine?"

Angelina gave him a forced little smile as Ron tried to decide whom he was better off with. Hermione had seemingly taken interest in the subject, though, and was now walking with the pair.

"I was, erm…just saying that for the most part, you've kinda mellowed out a bit. Dunno, it's like you've…lost your edge. What I _meant_ to say is you hardly ever row with Fred anymore. And you don't go all nutters on us in practice. You know, when you get all frustrated and your eye sort of twitches…"

Hermione gave him a hard jab in the ribs with her elbow as she glared at him, appalled.

"Ouch! 'Moine, that really hurt! Geez…well…I mean it is a cute sort of twitch really…"

Angelina couldn't stifle her laughter as Hermione threw up her hands and stormed off. "Looks like you've got your own problems to deal with, Ronnie."

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Sure you do…and I know because Fred and George go all red at the ears when they get embarrassed too."

Ron fought hard to suppress the scarlet creep across his cheeks, and eventually mumbled something about only having six weeks left to study for O.W.L.s and walking off. Before he got too far though, she called back to him.

"Oh and when you get back there be sure to let other others know we've got practice tomorrow. I'm pretty sure the pitch is booked all afternoon and evening, so be out there and ready by 5:30, okay? We can get it a few solid hours before breakfast."

She smiled her signature cocky smirk as Ron turned away, horrified at the thought of waking that early the next day. "Don't know why I even open my trap…" he muttered, walking away. "Serves me right…"

As Ron rounded the corner though, Angelina's carefree persona dropped. She unconsciously reached up to tug on a braid that had fallen from the sloppy bun she'd put her hair into.

Despite her best efforts, she couldn't keep her front up much longer. The knowledge of what Malfoy'd said haunted her nights and days. _Fine_, she resolved. _Everything's fine. Can't worry about what **might** happen in the distant future. Just try a little harder to relax, or you'll worry everyone else too_.

She made her way back to the tower and entered a very lively common room. Everyone sat around the fire talking or playing as they enjoyed various sweets and things sent to them from home for the Easter Holidays. As she spotted her friends watching Lee and Ron in the midst of an epic game of Wizard's Chess, Fred waved her over and broke off a bit of chocolate egg and passed it, grinning. He gently pulled her down so that she was lying on his stomach as she watched.

"I think that braid's about to fall out, Angie. Give it a rest, won't you?"

Angelina lowered her hand immediately, not realizing she'd been pulling it at all. "Sorry, it's just been bugging me today. No harm done."

Fred raised an eyebrow as he looked skeptically down at her. "Nah, you've been playing with that thing for weeks now. New nervous habit I suspect; I've never seen you do it before."

"You know all my nervous ticks?"

"'Course I do. I love you, remember? I know everything about you. My favorite has to be that little twitch you get in your eye when we're playing quidditch. It's precious!"

Ron's concentration broke and Lee's remaining knight took one of Ron's pawns. "See! I told you! Hermione didn't believe me!"

The whole group rolled with laughter as Hermione rolled her eyes and everyone added their two cents about Angelina's eye twitch. Angelina took the opportunity to speak privately to Fred. She reached up and stroked his chin as he gazed contently at her.

"You love me Fred?"

"You know I do Angeli-" His brows knitted. "I've just realized something. Angelina…angel. Funny, I'd never put that together. My angel. I love you."

"But why?"

Fred looked highly affronted at the question. "What do you mean? You're absolutely perfect! You're top-rate at quidditch…every guy in this school would give up his left nu-"

Her hand flew to his mouth to silence him. "That's _not_ what I meant. I mean, why 'love'? What good is it?"

He gently peeled her hand from his mouth and held her hand in both of his. "Dunno. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. What's your grudge against the L-word anyway?"

"It just…it makes things harder."

"Like what?"

"Like saying goodbye, for one."

Fred halted his idle play with her fingers, and pulled her up so she was sitting in his lap as he looked deeply into her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, Angel."

She nodded solemnly and squeezed his hand. "I love you, Fred."

His free hand softly stroked the back of her neck as he leaned in to kiss her. "I know."

Angelina sat at the table for breakfast as she had every morning before, minding her own business as poured over the day's schedule in her mind. She yawned into her cup of orange juice and watched the ceiling for the morning owls so she could get a good look at the _Prophet_ before her first class.

Her peace was shattered as Fred entered the Great Hall moments before the first bell to classes. "Angie…Angie!"

He rushed over to her and took her by the shoulders, his faced panicked and looking as though he hadn't gotten any sleep the night before. "I need to talk to you, now. It's important."

The bell rang and Angelina, still disoriented, shook her head. "I can't Freddie. We're doing a transformation for the N.E.W.T. practical in McGonagall's today. Can it wait?"

"Not really. What's your last class for the day?"

"Erm…Herbology. I'm doing fairly well in there so I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem if…"

"Skip it. Meet me on the first floor, right over where that new Divination teacher's room is. Please don't be late, okay?"

She nodded as he stood and left as quickly as he'd arrived. Dazed, she grabbed all her things and trudged off to Transfiguration, hoping she'd be able to concentrate enough to make the spells work.

The day passed fast enough, and 4 o'clock came around with N.E.W.T.-level Herbology. She managed to slip away from the crowds shuffling to class and made her way to the first floor corridor. Fred was waiting for her as she walked up. He ran over and embraced her, causing Angelina to drop her books and quills all over the ground.

"What's going on? You're acting all…well…nutty!"

"I don't have time to really explain everything like I wanted to. Here's the gist of it…in about an hour, George and I are going to cause a bit of…ummm…mayhem. We promised Harry some diversion time while he gets a hold of Si- _of a friend_. It's going to be big. And I mean **big**, Angie. It's just that when this is over I don't know really what's going to happen. George figures we'll probably be expelled. If that happens-"

Angelina protested, but Fred squeezed her shoulders to silence her. "If that happens, I just want you to know how much I really love you and how much I'll miss you until I see you after graduation…"

She could hold her tongue no longer. "Frederick! What are you thinking! If you know it's going to get you expelled then why even bother doing it?"

His expression softened along with his grip. "Don't you see? That old hag Umbridge has taken away the only things here worth staying for! I don't have quidditch, and with Dumbledore gone…we've rented out a shop in Diagon Alley. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is a reality now!"

Angelina pulled sharply out of his grip and looked down, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. "The only things worth staying for…and what about me?"

"No! That's not what I meant Angel. I have to do this! Don't you see?"

There was a sharp whistle coming form above them, and Angelina looked up at Fred. His expression was hurt, but not nearly as much as she felt then. "That'll be George then? You'd better get going…"

"Please don't be this way Angie, it breaks my heart."

Angelina refused to respond, but stood numbly and willed herself not to cry. He walked to her and wrapped his arms around her as Angelina held him as tightly as she could. "You said you weren't going anywhere! You told me…"

"I know, and I'm sorry, Angel. I love you. Please don't hate me."

He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her face away, blinking as another set of tears ran across her face. A second whistle sounded and Fred looked up, torn. "Go."

She broke the contact abruptly and crossed her arms. "You've made you choice. Now go."

She bent down to pick up her spilled things rather than watch him hesitantly walk away from her for good. As she tucked away the last quill, there was a loud bang above her and she walked out of the corridor towards the staircases to see a crowd of ooze-covered students running from one of the hallways screaming "Swamp! It's a swamp!"

Others just returning from their classes gathered around from whatever floor they were on, with Angelina and the main crowd gathered on the first floor encircling a pair of infamous red-haired twins. Angelina watched from the edge of the circle as Umbridge approached them and the last vestiges of hesitation on Fred face melted into a mask of arrogant defiance.

She shook her head sadly as Fred looked over to her one last time. She turned and pushed her way out of the circle, through the throngs of awed students. She last heard a loud roar of cheers as Fred and George soared out of the main door and out of her life.

As the Gryffindors slowly filtered back into the common room, Angelina's friends found her staring blankly into the fireplace, pulling vainly at the same loose braid. Alicia and Katie immediately hugged and tried to comfort her while Lee made a beeline for his room.

He returned a few minutes later with a carefully sealed letter in his hand, knelt down to Angelina and handed it to her, rubbing her back reassuringly. "Here, he told me to give this to you. You know he really does love you, Angie."

At his words she snatched up the parchment and stood. "If this is what it means to be loved…a worthless piece of parchment…I don't want it! To hell with love and to hell with Fred Weasley!"

She crumpled the letter and tossed it into the fire, storming furiously back out of the portrait hole. But where would she go now? Thanks to the twins, David was in the Hospital Wing, disoriented and dazed after appearing suddenly in a toilet after they'd thrown him in the Vanishing Cabinet. Though to be fair, he was about to dock points from them.

She had nowhere to go and nobody understood her. Fred was gone, Montague was out of commission, she'd left her wand and cutting tool in the common room…she felt abandoned, scared, trapped, and overwhelmed. Umbridge had taken her happiness at school from her, and the Dark Lord had taken her future.

She sprinted to one of the girls' bathroom and heaved up the contents of a lunch that had seemed to occur years ago. She had no outlet. No one to tell; nothing to do but wait for something to happen…

A/N: I hope, evilevergreen, you've picked up on the irony of my dedicating a Fred/Angelina chapter to a hardcore Montague fan. wink


	7. Chapter 7

The unofficial title of this chapter: Breakdown/Breakout. So I was trying to show how everything she'd been going through the whole year had finally caught up with her. It's supposed to be like the "rock bottom" scene. Having said that, I don't think it came out very well at all. Not to mention that it took this long to write something this bad. Oh well, can't win them all. I promise you the next chapter will make up for this. I hope…

Anyway…here ya go! And don't forget to review. Even flames are welcome. Feedback is feedback. Thanks in advance!

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The days drifted by, and Angelina likewise drifted farther from her friends. Of course, she was still a relentless captain and steadfast student, but in the instances of life between Quidditch and classes she was seldom to be found in the company of others.

Each morning Angelina would wake with the dawn and soar around the pitch on her now-worn Nimbus 2010. On her broom, she could fly faster than her thoughts could keep up with her. She could leave all her worries wrapped tightly away in a ball in the ground and be at peace for even a short while.

And every morning after her flight, she would walk back to her common room past the Hospital Wing where Montague still remained disoriented. She knew of a fair few Slytherins that would occasionally visit him, but she couldn't help wondering what he did with the other hours of the day, just laying there.

Perhaps it was empathy towards someone that might be just as lonely as she, but one morning Angelina entered the wing. She left her broom at the door and vainly wiped her hands off on the sides of her training robes. Madame Pomfrey, though disapproving of the girl's disheveled state, allowed her in to see if Montague was even awake.

She walked up towards David's bed as he sat up sipping a pale grey liquid from a glass. His eyes locked on hers, and he immediately looked at the empty beds around him to see whom the unfamiliar girl could have been visiting. She cracked a smile and cleared her throat. "Good morning, David."

He was at least capable of recognizing his name, and perked up as he was addressed. "Right. Do I know you then, too?"

Angelina felt a little hopeless knot form in her stomach as his eyes scanned her, searching for some sort of recognition. She nodded. David shrugged and motioned for her to sit at the chair next to his bed. Angelina proceeded to introduce herself to him. "It's nice to meet you, Angelina. Did you know my mum and dad were here yesterday?"

She frowned, remembering his parents visiting more than a week earlier, and attributed the time lapse to his condition. "That's nice. Was it a good visit?"

He screwed up his face, trying to remember if it had indeed been a good visit, but quickly forgot what he was trying to think of, and instead began to chat idly of other things. Angelina sighed and resigned to speaking of little, unimportant things. Time passed quickly though, and she found that the first classes of the day were only minutes away.

As she stood and pardoned herself, his hand shot out and touched hers. She raised an eyebrow and looked at his concerned expression. "Miss, will you come back again tomorrow?"

She thought carefully about it for a few minutes and nodded. She didn't mind sitting with him, and it was better than being alone. He smiled with a sort of relief that made Angelina uncomfortable. She quickly grabbed her broom and ran for Gryffindor tower in hope of a shower before her first class.

As the hot water swept away the traces of dirt and sweat from her skin, she couldn't help but think of Montague alone in the wing, nearly desperate for company while she tried so hard to avoid it.

True to her word, she returned the next morning. Once again, he was sitting up, sipping the grey potion from his glass. He set it down and eyed her warily as she sat beside him once more. "And who are you?"

Angelina bit back the retort she had toward his rudeness and instead reintroduced herself. Satisfied with her answer, he began asking little questions about her. Simple things like her age and favorite color, things she never expected to be asked about by the likes of him.

By the end of their time together, he asked her once more to return the next day. She promised, and even though she knew he probably wouldn't know the difference between tomorrow and next month, she returned. She returned every morning at the same time to find him sitting and sipping his drink.

Over the next week, his condition improved so that he remembered her from day to day. He would smile widely and set his glass down as she approached each morning, and Angelina felt herself smiling back. His memory still hazy, she would answer all his questions about who he was and what he was like openly and honestly, careful not to omit even the personality traits she found displeasing in him.

When he wasn't bombarding her with such questions, they would talk about other wholly unimportant things with Angelina even going so far as to nick muggle books and stories from the library to read to David. He enjoyed listening to her speak, and she enjoyed the simplicity of their mornings.

One day, she came into the wing carrying a new book. "Morning, Montague. Ever heard of Romeo and Juliet? Ah, suppose you wouldn't, seeing at your memory's all wonky. And I don't think Slytherins ever take Muggle Studies, do they? Not really your style…"

David just shrugged as she sat down in her chair and handed it to him. He looked appraisingly over the cover as she spoke. "Written by a muggle chap named Shakespeare. It's about these two people – a boy and a girl. They're in love but their families are enemies."

David handed back the book as she gave a scene-by-scene summary of the play and occasionally quoted the characters' best lines. "Oh be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called…"

She was cut off mid rant by a hand on her arm. "Angie?"

"Yeah?"

"Why does she keep mentioning his name? Does she not like the name 'Romeo'?"

Angelina closed the book and smiled slightly. "No, it's all to do with his family, like I was saying earlier. I guess I didn't mention it. His name is Romeo Montague."

He paused, deep in thought, and nodded moments later for her to continue. She did, finishing her summary of the book minutes later. She smiled and passed the book back to him, which he gladly accepted. "It seems like everyone in the book was a tragedy."

"Yeah, I know, but I think most people are tragic."

"Even you and me, Angelina?"

She gave a small snort of laughter. "Definitely."

"How am I tragic?"

"You're in love."

"Love is tragic?"

"Oh yes, David. It's one of the worst kinds."

He looked as though this whole love business were only mildly interesting. "Who am I in love with?"

"Me, David."

"Ah. And do you love me back?"

"No."

"Why is that? Have I done something wrong?"

"No, I just can't love anybody."

"But if you could, do you think-"

"Most likely, yes."

"That's good then."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each thinking about what was said. Angelina could have sworn she'd seen a flicker of the old Montague in his eyes. She was now torn between missing the old David and enjoying this one. He was her little secret. But then again, he always sort of had been.

She looked up at the clock, but quickly remembered that it was a Hogsmeade day, which meant no classes. She looked back at David only to find him staring intently at her. His eyes narrowed, and she was sure she saw the old Montague veiled within them. "Why do you come here every morning?"

She thought carefully about the question. She could simply say she merely passed the wing after her morning sessions, but it wouldn't be entirely true. She could say it was because she pitied him, but that wasn't quite the right either. So she decided on the closest thing to the whole truth. The reason she was even awake that early to begin with. "I don't sleep well."

"I didn't used to either. But then I was given a reason to wake up each day. I know that when I wake up, you'll come by to talk to me. You never fail me. So I go to sleep at night knowing the next day will bring me a not only a chance to get better, but you. Maybe you just don't have a good enough reason to wake up each day."

"You're right," she began after considering his words momentarily, "I don't think I do."

David patted the bed next to him. Angelina stood from her chair and edged onto the bed, reluctantly allowing herself to sit that closely to him. "You know, I could be your reason, Angelina."

She felt him lean in towards her, and despite her apprehension, she let her fingers find his as they kissed. She felt a hand gently guiding her to a pillow as his body slid gracefully over hers. She felt herself slipping away with each delightful kiss until she could no longer tell whether she was still awake or dreaming. She only felt herself curl up longingly in his arms as they both drifted into sleep.

Madame Pomfrey walked by the two and considered waking the girl and driving her angrily from the wing. But she noticed their uniforms – Gryffindor and Slytherin, and remembering the Sorting Hat's song earlier that year, allowed them their harmless moment. If these two, rivals tooth and nail, could find peace in one another, there was hope yet alive.

She awoke hours later with a start. A glance at the clock revealed it to be almost two in the afternoon. Everyone would be in Hogsmeade, wondering where she was. And if they came back here and caught her with…

She looked beside her to see nothing but wrinkled, empty sheets. David was gone. She jumped up from the bed and found Madame Pomfrey sorting vials of different remedies by color. The nurse turned around and gave Angelina a knowing smile. Angelina wanted to scream and break something. "He's gone, dearie. Left just a bit before you woke up. I finally found a cure for him. Though there wasn't too much left to do. It seems like he really just needed a bit of attention…"

Angelina rolled her eyes at the nurse's innuendo and left the room in a huff. She didn't quite know what she was pissed about, but that never stopped her before. She made her way to the Great Hall for some food, finding none other than Montague sitting at the Slytherin table, surrounded by an assortment of cooing females.

He gave a little glance of acknowledgement to the Gryffindor, but nothing more. As she opened her mouth to speak to him, his attention was taken by a curvy blonde's fingers along his jaw, pulling him to her. Angelina fought her gag reflex. So much for food.

Evening rolled around, along with a heavy rainstorm. Angelina's attempts at practice failed miserably, and she was now alone. Landing, she dragged her mud-splattered broom and ball crate across the field to the locker rooms. "The drowned-rat look doesn't suit you at all, Angelina."

Without missing a beat, Angelina continued her trek. "Hah. So you're talking to me again? And I didn't even have to come on to you."

"You know, you're so cute when you get all dirty and indignant like that."

"Don't you have some little twit to shag right now?"

"Nah, that's not 'til later. Hey! Geez, I was just kidding…slow down! I'm trying to talk to you."

Angelina merely looked over her shoulder as she made to climb the steps to the locker rooms. "I really don't need to hear anything you have to say."

"Well, you're going to listen anyway."

Angelina felt herself being grabbed roughly by the arm and swung around face to face David. Beads of rainwater dripped from his nose and chin, and the rain made his shirt cling to his well-toned form. Not that she was _looking_, of course. "Get your hands off me!"

His grip tightened, and Angelina snapped. He'd been trouble since the moment she'd met him. And she was tired of being pushed around and lectured by the likes of him…and Fred…and Voldemort…her parents…

The back of her free hand collided with his left cheek. Stunned, he let go of her, and Angelina could only see red as she pounced on him and alternated between hits and trying to claw his eyes out. David recovered from his initial shock and struggled to control the irate girl. It took nearly all his strength to pin her arms down from above her, using the rest of his body weight to immobilize her legs.

"You've lost your damned mind, Johnson!"

She didn't respond, but only worked harder against him. Eventually managing to wriggle one arm free, she elbowed him in the chest hard enough to loosen his hold on her. She climbed out from underneath him and ran for the stairs.

Montague stood, slowly rubbing the soon-to-be bruise. "Look at you, you've gone to pieces."

She hesitated, but continued walking into the building. He followed. "At the end of the day, you can't even recognize yourself anymore, can you? Choking with fear, abandoned, and desperate."

Angelina disappeared into the Gryffindor locker room. She could have pulled the door shut behind her – made sure David would stay out; but consciously or not, she allowed him the opportunity to enter behind her. He trailed her and made sure the door was locked behind them. "I know what you want. You've been wanting to do it since this all began – the unraveling of your happy little world."

He turned the corner to find Angelina sitting in front of her locker, knees drawn to her chest, sobbing. He knelt next to her and revealed a small, pen shaped object that reflected the gleam of the lights around them. She looked up at the dazzling tip of a small, silver blade.

She suddenly felt the small ghost of a hunger she'd long forgotten. That little burst of perfect peace, and all it cost was one teeny cut. Her eyes darted up to meet David's. He leered at her, menacing in his enthusiasm. She felt her pulse quicken as she wrapped her fingers around his as he held the knife.

She guided them down to the inside of her arm, softly pressing the blade down to savor the sensation of cold metal. All the badness, the deterioration…none of it would hurt so badly after this…

Her hand jerked upward, and the knife grazed the smooth porcelain of Montague's face. The scarlet-tipped blade dropped, and Angelina scrambled up to get out from reaching distance of the Slytherin now gripping his cheek. "Hurts, doesn't it?"

Montague let out a long string of expletives that Angelina only laughed at. "How long did you think you could do this to me? You took me in my most vulnerable state, and you played with me. You turned me against the only people that care about me…made me want you…made me _need_ you. But why?"

David lowered his hand and stood stoically before her. She'd never understand, even if he tried to explain. Things like this only happened in novels and muggle cinema. "It doesn't matter anymore, Montague. I see perfectly now. And you will not be the one to break me!"

She would end their entropic cycle now. She wouldn't let herself be rent by his mind games any longer. She took a deep breath and waited for the words that never came. He never moved, hardly blinked, never spoke. He just watched her, disguising his mixed feelings of pride and guilt. _Just let her walk away while she can…_

She wiped a mud-matted strand of hair from her forehead and left her locker room feeling more alive than she'd been in a long time. For once, she didn't need someone to turn to – someone to protect or comfort her. Reveling in her independence, she made her way back to the castle unaware and uncaring that a pair of irriguous, aphotic eyes  
watched every step.


	8. Chapter 8

Well, this was originally supposed ot be the final chapter, but as I write, the story just seems to make itself longer!

Thanks for all the reviews guys,I REALLY appreciate them. And Angelface04, the title _is_ taken from the Evanescence song. This was originally a heartbeat away form being a songfic!

I'm much happier with this chapter than the last one. It's a little shorter, but came a lot more naturally. In fact, I didn't even get to the second half of it! So there's a bit more left in this story before it's over. Never fret! Anyhow, enjoy!

* * *

Angelina sat draped sideways across her favorite beaten old armchair in the common room, pouring over several pieces of parchment. Glancing up, she watched as Alicia penned an epic letter; no doubt its recipient would be George Weasley.

Since the twins' departure, her feelings for George had become more concrete, and she spent long hours composing letters in code to send to him without being confiscated by Umbridge. "At it again, Alicia? What could have possibly changed since the last time you wrote to him? Which, I remind you, was only two days ago."

"Yeah, well just because you won't talk to them doesn't mean I won't. Their shop's doing well, but they'll need to up their sales during the summer in order to begin turning a real profit. And Fred sends his-"

She was silenced by Angelina's glare. She still held her grudge against the Weasley, and had no desire to hear any messages sent on his behalf. She shuffled her papers noisily and felt her displeasure fade as she read and reread the letters.

The offers had finally come. The Arrows, Magpies, and Wanderers all extended invitations to her to try out for their respective teams, with Montrose even going so far as to immediately offer her a spot as reserve chaser.

Angelina's humility was pressed to its limits as she did all she could to keep from gloating to her friends…and others. She knew the other graduating quidditch players would kill to be in her position, especially the other captains: Roger and-. Her mood darkened.

When she thought of David now, it was only to dwell on her newfound contempt for him. She just couldn't forgive the part of him that she knew now was so absolutely untrustworthy…so evil? What a clichéd term. She rolled her eyes and folded her letters once more. "So, are you guys ready for N.E.W.T.s?"

Her question was greeted with several unenthusiastic mumbles. Lee even chucked a large stack of notes at her. "What do you think, Angie? Some of us still have to study…"

"Yeah, well if you didn't spend all your time chasing girls and just go to the library now and then…"

"Angelina Johnson!" Lee put his hand up to his chest, feigning outrage. "Jealous much? Some of us have better things to do than spend our days alone with stacks of moldy old books…training to become spinsters. No offense, Hermie!"

"None taken, Lee." Hermione hardly skipped a beat as she turned the page of her Ancient Runes text.

"At any rate," Lee continued more sincerely, "it's good to have you back. You were starting to go all 'lone-wolf' on us. _Katie_ was really worried! She thought you'd never talk to us again. And it drove **_me_** into the arms of other women!"

Angelina threw the notes back at him as Katie commenced to beating him with a thick roll of parchment. It was nice to know her friends had been worried about her. And that even Fred still thought about her too sometimes. _No! He left, never forget that. He could have stayed, but he didn't. He was just as much of a letdown as everyone else has been_…

"Angie? What on earth are you mumbling about?"

She looked up, blushing furiously with embarrassment. "Nothing, Alicia. Just thinking out loud a little. Sorry."

"Yeah whatever, Spaz. I'm done with my letter. I think I'm going to bed. You and Katie should follow soon. We've got a game in the morning!"

"Yes, Mother."

Angelina and Katie put away their various papers and quills and followed Alicia up the stairs. With Slytherin's loss (even _with_ Montague), Gryffindor had a legitimate shot at the Cup. But only if Ginny caught the snitch before Ron sunk the team too deep in the hole against Ravenclaw. Angelina fell slowly into quasi-anxious sleep.

If they could somehow pull the win, there would be a trophy to add to Gryffindor's award case, with her name next to "captain" on it. And she'd have done it even without Harry and the twins. They just would have to find a way to scrape by…

…

Raucous choruses of the new "Weasley is Our King!" echoed across the pitch as Madame Hooch handed Angelina the bright silver Quidditch Cup. She grabbed Ron, the hero of the game, and squeezed him in a bear hug as she handed the cup to him. It was his moment most of all. The Gryffindors swarmed the field and carried Ron away on their shoulders, singing all the way.

The rest of the team, though equally enthused, decided it best to shower before their triumphant return to the tower. Sloper, Kirke, Alicia, Katie, and Ginny headed back to the lockers while Angelina fell back a step and savored her final moments on the pitch. She wiped a silly little tear from the corner of her eye and reflected on all the memories of quidditch here, good and otherwise.

"Katie, you were absolutely brilliant out there!"

"Aw…Gin, you're making me blush. But honestly _nothing_ tops your last-minute steal of the snitch. Astounding! And Ronnie! It's like your whole family was just born to play the game. Part of the Weasley blood I suppose…"

"What a fine compliment, if I do say so myself!"

Katie, Alicia and Ginny all jumped a mile high as a familiar voice called out from a dark corner. Out stepped none other than George Weasley himself, beaming proudly. Alicia squealed happily and threw her arms around his waist while Ginny punched him on the arm for scaring her so badly.

"What on earth are you doing here, George?" Katie laughed.

"You know full well I couldn't stay away while my team played for the cup! And I do hope my name is on there somewhere. I did almost single-handedly win us the game against Slytherin!"

The girls giggled and chatted with George for a while before excusing themselves for the showers. "Ladies, though my nose happens to agree with you one-hundred percent, I think it's best you hold off for just a bit. And here comes my reason."

His eyes focused over their heads as Angelina opened the outside door behind them. George pulled the girls around the corner with him, out of view. Holding a finger to his lips, he waited until the locker door shut behind Angelina before quietly locking it with his wand. "They're going to sort this out if it kills them. And it damn well might."

At the girls' confused faces, George only laughed and handed them each a set of Extendable Ears. "Trust me, you'll want to be hearing this."

Angelina tossed her broom and robe carelessly on the floor in front of her locker and began to pull the sweater over her head, wondering why the other girls hadn't decided to shower as planned. A small noise caused her to halt, her head half-stuck inside the turtleneck. "Please, no need to stop on my accord."

Angelina furiously pulled her top back on and found herself standing face-to-face with Fred Weasley. She stood wordlessly, mouth agape. "Really now, this is quite unlike you. Angelina Johnson without something to say?"

Her eyes narrowed. "If you hadn't noticed, I've had nothing to say to you since the moment you left."

"And here I was thinking your letters were getting confiscated by Filch…" he stepped closer to her, his arms out to hug her as though she wasn't ready to utterly destroy him on the spot. Which she was.

She raised an eyebrow before turning the leave the way she came in, only to find the door locked. From the outside. Which it **never** was. Unless someone had tampered with it. She shook her head knowingly before dropping to her knees and leaning towards the space between the door and floor. Inhaling deeply, she let out the contents of her lungs in a deafening shout. "GEORGE!"

Four separate voices swore loudly as they rubbed their ears and tried to sooth their throbbing eardrums. Angelina stood, smirking vindictively at Fred. "I don't know why they bother. We're done. Let me out now!"

Fred looked as though the wind had been knocked out of him, and a quartet of voices yelled "No!" from the other side of the door.

"Angel, why do you hate me so much…"

"Because you left me!"

Fred tried to disguise a hint of a smile at her hurt. She cared enough to miss him. "And why," he continued probingly, "was that even a problem?"

"Because I loved you."

He winced at the past tense. "I'm sorry my leaving hurt you, Angel. But I had to do what was best for me!"

"I know." Her voice turned cold. "And that's why it's time I do what's best for _me_. And you're not any part of that. I'm going to pass my N.E.W.T.s, Fred. And I'm going to graduate. I'll sign with the Montrose Magpies in June, and I'll play professional quidditch, just like I always told you I would. I'll have money, fame, and happiness, and I won't have you. And that's just fine with me."

She thought she heard a gasp, probably from Katie. Fred shook his head. "And who will be there to share it all with? Who will hold you at night? You're nothing without someone to love."

"Frankly, I don't have time for love!"

She turned back to her locker, but was spun back around by the arm. "Of course you do-"

"No," she blinked away stinging tears, "I don't."

Fred paused, alarmed and frightened by her sudden shift of emotion. She looked fragile and empty. He eyed her carefully, realizing this was the same fight they'd been having since she'd left the Hospital Wing with her hand in bandages. "Angelina, why do you cut yourself?"

"Who said anything about cutting?"

His hand traveled down the length of her arm to her wrist and the near-forgotten scar. "Why did you do this?"

"Because I was never given a choice."

Fred opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Angelina. "You say you love me. And you want to know me…know everything. Is that still true?"

He nodded, and Angelina took a deep breath. "Then you should know first off, that I am going to die. Soon. Because I'm faced with a choice that isn't a choice at all…"

Outside the door to the locker room, four paled faces ignored the pain in their knees and backs as the hunched over and listened to the secret of Angelina's tragedy. By the end, Alicia's face was buried in George's chest, Katie cried openly, and none of the Weasleys (Fred included), knew quite what to say.

"We could…we could find somewhere to hide you. Maybe at headquarters for the Order!"

"Fred, there's nowhere I can go that the Dark Lord cannot find me. Have you heard of the Adegi Herctum? It's a sort of forced inheritance."

Angelina pushed up the left sleeve of her sweater to reveal a faded bruise on her inner arm. "You still have that thing? It must have been like the mother-of-all bruises! It's been months since-"

"Longer than that. And it's not a bruise. Look." She tapped her wand against it, and the spot darkened and sharpened into an unmistakable version of the Dark Mark.

"When both parents have it, it automatically passes to the child. The Adegi Herctum is a side effect of the Protean Charm Voldemort used on his Death Eaters. Even though I never took the mark, he along with other Death Eaters still can sense where I am at all times. I never thought about it until Mont-…until someone told me he always seemed to know where I was. It all makes sense now."

"But what can I do, Angie? I'm stuck."

"And now you understand where I'm coming from. There isn't a thing I can do. I can't run, I can't fight, I just have to sit and wait for my time to run out!"

She pinched the bridge of her nose, her head beginning to ache dully. Fred took her softly into his arms and rested his chin on her head. "This is more than any person should ever have to deal with alone. I know I left you, and it's a mistake I can never forgive myself for. But we're going to get through this, okay? It's going to be okay…"

Angelina reached up and cradled his face with her hand, staring deeply into his soft green eyes. "No, Fred. It's not."

She pulled his face down to meet her lips in a desperate kiss. His lips moved from her mouth to her neck as she pulled at his robes and began to unbutton his shirt. On the other side of the door, the four tried to make sense of the odd sorts of rustling and movement inside.

When they heard a sudden undeniable zipping noise follow by a low groan, the two chasers and George immediately sat up and pulled the Extendable Ears off, laughing embarrassedly to themselves. George had to take Ginny's away, as she continued trying to listen in.

"Does this mean they've patched things up?"

"Dunno, Alicia. But it'll do for now." Fred shrugged and removed the locking charm before they all turned to leave and return back to the castle, burdened down with  
everything they'd learned.


	9. Chapter 9

Hey there everybody! I'm back with a quick lil update! So here's the second part I never had a chance to get to! I'm pleased with it, and I hope you'll be too.

Once again, reviews are appreciated beyond measure! Thanks so much in advance for reading (and reviewing -- hint-hint). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not making money, and the characters aren't mine.

* * *

The N.E.W.T.s came and went rather breezily, and once over, there was little any of the faculty could do to control the seventh years those last few weeks of term. And even though Angelina wanted to join in with the festivities, she just couldn't seem to shake that ominous feeling that had resurfaced after the final quidditch game.

Her friends all knew now, but their understanding had quickly turned to pity. And a proud thing like Angelina could never take being pitied. Her realienation from her peers had oddly deepened a connection to the only other person she knew whose eyes held the same heavy mourning hers did; bright green eyes beneath glasses and a messy black  
fringe.

She never asked why he was that way, nor did he impart so much as a word to his former teammate. But glances spoke volumes, and knitted brows summoned strength when it seemed none was to be found. _They don't know how it feels…and this is a  
struggle we must deal with alone. Handle your burden_.

So she did. She waded through the days equally fearful of the morrow and thankful for an uneventful present. Finally the night of graduation rolled around, bringing with it the end of year feast and the newly reinstated Dumbledore's parting speech.

"So now you all know and cannot help but believe the words I spoke one year ago today. For those who doubted, you must now face the truth; Lord Voldemort is back and proves just as dangerous as before. As we embark on this new and turbulent path, we cannot forget the lessons of the past as we go. Remember Cedric, and take with you the realization that we are all drawn to the battles ahead, no matter who we are. More importantly, never forget it is our choices that will form our futures. No one can tell where each of us will wind up by the end; but know that there is _always_ a choice. I wish you all safe travels to your homes, and hope you remain safe until the joyous day of your return. Dig in!"

Angelina hardly felt like eating anymore as her eyes shot daggers at the man who'd so boldly stated that there was always a choice in life. She didn't **choose** to be born to Alcmene and Edwaard Johnson. All she ever wanted was to play quidditch, even maybe have a family at some point. So lost she became in her mutinous thoughts, she hadn't noticed the students rising to leave as the rest of the graduates loitered in the Hall and waited for the special celebration to begin.

As countless black robes shuffled around her, Angelina watched the hall empty into the same faces she remembered seeing for the first time as timid children seven long years ago. She lazily scanned the room, flinching when she saw a pair of dissonant red coifs among the common blondes and brunettes.

She nearly bowled over some of the lingering younger students as she raced over to embrace both Fred and George. "What in Merlin's beard are you two doing here? You know you don't go to school here anymore, right?"

"Aye, Angie, but Dumbledore's really lost his marbles and allowed us to graduate, N.E.W.T.s or not!" George said, laughing.

"Not that it really matters, mind you," Fred quickly added, "but we thought the gesture was nice and decided to accept his offer."

Angelina and Fred exchanged shy glances, each unsure of where they stood since their little encounter in the locker rooms. Lee, Alicia, and Katie soon found the three, giving Katie a chance to say goodbye to everyone before scampering off to finish packing her trunk. Everyone was quick to notice how ardently Lee watched the blonde leave.

"Whatever will that girl do without us next year?"

"Dunno, Lee," Alicia stated, "but I do think she might miss one of us more than the rest."

"You think?"

Everyone nodded their agreement and prodded Lee on. "One way to find out, right?"

Lee flashed a toothy smile and bolted after her as the others catcalled and cheered him on. The entire school erupted in applause when Lee suddenly dipped Katie and kissed her in a flamboyant, Hollywood sort of way. Angelina was mid-holler when she felt someone tapping on her shoulder.

Turning around, she faced one of the last people she would have expected. Her abhorred expression caused Montague to fumble back half a step. "So you're still mad then?"

Angelina's eyes lit up with a tangible fury as she refused to respond to his obvious question. "I guess I deserve this, but listen…"

Angelina's fists clenched tightly as she resisted dark urges to pounce on him then and there. He voice was low and malevolent, hoping to avoid attracting anyone's attention. "If you think I want to even **look** at you again, you're sorely mistaken. You fooled me for _months_, and now that I've got you figured out you had better be thanking your lucky stars that I'm not going to strike you dead where you stand!"

Fred looked over to Angelina to make a joke about Lee and Katie, but found her practically hissing at Montague behind her. He turned, raising his chin protectively. "Oi, Angel," he positioned himself a bit between her and David, "is he bothering you?"

Before she could respond, David spat back, "Look 'Hero', that's cute and all, but maybe you'd be more believable if you hadn't turned tail and fled halfway through the year!"

Angelina pulled Fred back by his robes before shoving Montague herself. "How dare you speak to him that way! When you…you were the biggest coward of them all…taking orders from Malfoy!"

As if on cue, the rat-faced and lanky Slytherin appeared by David's side. "I was wondering if you knew or not. Never trust a job like this to someone like _him_."

Draco took a step away from David, disgusted. "You figured it out that rainy day he followed you into the lockers, didn't you? I could see it in the way you walked away. It was only a matter of time for a witty little thing like yourself."

Angelina felt an embarrassing sort of indignation that he'd called her 'little' again. Why did that bother her so much? And how many of the encounters besides that one had he seen for himself? "You sent him to spy on me. To report on me. To fool me and keep me half-crazy until…until it was time."

By now, everyone, including the teachers, was watching the scene unfold. But only within those three (because even Angelina's friends didn't know how David and Malfoy fit into the picture) did the oddly disjointed thoughts make perfect sense.

"Well, whether or not it was cleverness on his part…though I seriously doubt it…the head games were his own brilliant addition. But it doesn't matter anymore. Your days are numbered. Though I must ask one thing, since I only had a few instances to watch two you myself: did you _actually_ fall in love with him? I mean, I'm sure you two probably fu-"

His words were cut short as David lifted Malfoy up by the collar of his robes and wound back to punch him. A burst of blue light hit David's arm and caused him to drop the 5th year before he got the hit most everyone believed he truly deserved.

Professor Flitwick, wand out, approached with Snape and McGonagall by his side. "Mister Montague, you had better be thankful you are graduating tonight," cried Professor McGonagall shrilly, "or there would be no end to the punishment I would inflict on you for nearly harming a younger student!"

Professor Snape's contrastingly calm voice echoed in as well. "And as for you, Mister Malfoy, you had better return to your common room before I grow even more displeased with you."

Draco stood and immediately retreated, his ego and throat amply hurt. Professor Flitwick, not wanting to be left out, chorused in with as stern a tone as his tiny voice could manage. "I don't know what's going on here, students, but you had better settle it now!"

Montague opened his mouth, but Angelina beat him to it. "You want to know what's going on? I'll show you!"

She pulled up the sleeve of her left arm and used her right hand to grasp David's wrist. "I didn't figure it out for the longest time. But everything makes sense! The Adegi Herctum…I can always be found by the Dark Lord and his loyal followers."

"Because of this," she motioned with her forearm bearing the shadowed Mark and staring deeply and defiantly into David's eyes, "they'll 'always know when I'm around.' They can _feel_ it."

She pressed her arm onto his and watched expectantly as David's jaw set as he tried to mask the burning sensation. As she released his arm, her arm bore the black skull and snake. Many gasped and murmured among themselves. Angelina ignored them and only smirked as she flipped Montague's arm over. "Tell me, David, when did you take the Dark Mark?"

There were several screams and stunned gasps, and an auburn-haired Ravenclaw girl fainted. Those farthest away crowded closer to see, but maintained a decent perimeter from the outed Death Eater. He whipped out his wand and held it under Angelina's throat. Her expression remained fierce and unshaken. "This wasn't how it was supposed to be, Angelina."

He swung around and held her tightly to him, wand under her throat, as a hostage. The faculty halted their advances and allowed him to back up out of the hall. "I wanted to tell you for myself," he growled softly, "but you always make things harder than they should be."

"You know what? For a manipulator, you seem quite put-out by all of this! Don't you think I deserve to be the upset one?"

"No! Because you once again fail to get the whole truth. They weren't all lies, Angie. I never lied about the way I felt."

They exited out onto the grounds, followed at a distance by most of the students and all of the staff. "Actually, _Montie_, you never said how you felt."

"I'd kill for you, Angelina."

"Right…not really so easy to tell right now, is it? By the way, you're choking me a bit."

He adjusted his grip across her throat slightly. "I'll tell you this and pray you remember: I love you. I only agreed to help Malfoy before I knew you. But now I know I'd do anything for you. _Anything_. You'll understand someday. Things aren't as simple as good and evil…"

She rolled her eyes angrily. "You've said that before!"

"And I meant it! And if you take the time to stop jumping to conclusions and just think about it, it will make sense!"

They reached the edge of the school grounds. He removed the wand from her neck and pointed out into the crowd threateningly before taking a few more steps back and Disapperating with a loud crack.

Angelina stumbled forward and soon found herself in the arms of an overly fussy Fred. She batted away his hands and interrogations with a frown. "Calm down! I'm fine. I swear, sometimes you're as bad as your mum…"

She was soon crowded by several of the professors. After answering numerous questions about either her current state or her ties to Montague, Dumbledore ushered the throngs back into the Hall to continue the festivities.

Of course, the main talk of the night was David's association with the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort, and Angelina began to grow weary of Fred's protective gaze. As the graduates returned to their common rooms for the last time, Angelina pulled Fred off to the side next to a large tapestry of the Four Founders. "Are you okay, Freddie?"

His ears reddened as he grinned a bit sheepishly. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"You already did several times. Look, I don't know what to tell you about Montague. It was weird; even I don't completely get it. But there is something I do know, and that's how much I really did miss you these last few months. It's been damn unbearable, and if you ask anyone else they'll agree that I was too."

Fred's smile widened genuinely. "I'm sorry for leaving you, especially at a time like this in your life. But I'm here now, if you'll still have me."

"Fred, I don't know what the future has for me, but I know that my days will be empty and meaningless without you. Someone once told me that you're nothing without someone to love. Well, I love you. Never stopped."

Fred put his arm around her. "Aw, Angel. You've gone all soft on me," he play winced as she hit him, "that's more like it. I love you too, Angel. I'll never stop. No matter what. And even if I have to take the Dark Lord down with my bare hands, I will to keep you here with me."

He kissed her on the forehead as they both resumed their trek to Gryffindor Tower. They packed, said their last goodbyes to the castle that had been their second home for years, and slept in their beds for the final time.

Chatting amiably amongst the six of them as they'd always done, the train ride home was blissfully short. They soon found themselves back at King's Cross station, unloaded and returning back into the arms of their families.

"There's mum and dad over there, Angie. So what are you going to do now?"

"Well, I figured on staying at the Leaky Cauldron for the two weeks before I'm supposed to report to Montrose for summer training."

"Nah! Why don't you come and stay with me? You can meet my parents…with Percy the Git gone, you can even have your own room. Or I can just kick George out and _he_ can stay in there…"

Angelina giggled as Fred gave a throaty growl and wrapped his arms around her. "But I've already met your parents!"

"So? You haven't met them as my Official Girlfriend! Besides, the house is so empty now. George and I will be moving out by end of summer too. And I don't want to think of that wrinkled old hunchback Tom staring at my girl's bum for two weeks."

The matter seemed settled as Molly rushed over with George, Ron, and Ginny, who'd apparently filled her in onto everything that had happened. "Angelina, dear! You'll be staying with us, of course? No sense in returning to that awful home! Come now, Arthur's got himself a muggle automobile as an apology from the Ministry about the whole 'Dark Lord' thing…"

Angelina was happy to be shuffled into the manic, ginger-haired family. For once, she was actually looking forward to the future. A couple of carefree weeks with Fred and his family, and then off to go pursue the one thing she'd dreamt about so singularly since the moment she first beheld a broomstick. For however long it would last, Angelina had her perfect life.


	10. Chapter 10

Okay...I'm sorry I disappeared for a while. But this is it! Last Chapter of Salvation Tourniquet! Thank you EVERYONE for reviewing and reading this! I'm quite proud of it as a whole...and I can't wait to write more!

Having said that, I had some troubles with this chapter. Maybe I was just too hesitant  
to end it. I think I teared up when I finished. sigh

Enough notes and mindless prattleon to the story!

* * *

Docile golden rays of sun poured in through the window, rousing Angelina to life. She gave a reluctant little groan and rolled over onto Fred, who was snoring lightly. Taking in the clean and soapy smell of his freckled skin, she wrapped her arms around his bare torso and lightly kissed his back. 

"Mmm…morning Freddie," she cooed softly, "I think it's time for me to go back now. Don't want your mum walking in on us like this…"

The old wooden bed creaked as Fred turned over and held Angelina to him, half asleep. "Mmph…too early…"

He yawned and kissed her hair, drifting back to sleep once more. Angelina rolled her eyes and wriggled out of his grasp. She left the warm and cozy bed and padded softly back to Percy's old room where George was now sleeping in what she realized was the exact same position Fred had been in. _Weird twin thing_, she thought.

She leaned over George and gently prodded his shoulder. "Up you get, Georgie-poo, time to go back to your room."

As she leaned forward to poke him in the nose playfully, his arm swung about and Angelina found herself in the headlock-like embrace of her boyfriend's twin. She mumbled angrily into his side but found her words too muffled to wake him.

Struggling for nearly half a minute, she resorted to desperate measures. George's eyes suddenly snapped open and he jump nearly a foot off the mattress. "Dammit! Angelina! What are you doing? Did you forget which one I am? Fred is in the other room! And what do you think you're getting at by biting me? That bloody hurt!"

Angelina grimaced and stuck out her tongue. "You put me in a headlock, George. I was trying to wake you up. Go back to your room! Better yet, stop by the bathroom and take a shower while you're at it. Yuck!"

They traded several immature and kindergarten-worthy faces before George shut the door behind him and Angelina hopped into her bed before all the warmth was gone. She was scarcely able to fall asleep again before finding herself suddenly unable to breathe as the over-large, furry rump of an ugly orange "cat" covered her face. She shoved the beast bodily from her face and watched it slink out the room before permanently shelving any further hopes of sleep and starting her day.

Downstairs, Angelina found Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Hermione chatting amiably amongst a breakfast spread that would be considered grand by even Molly's standards. The matron jumped up upon Angelina's appearance and set to adding a bit of every food to a plate and handing it to the girl.

"Last day before the big move to Montrose, dear. Are you packed?" Angelina nodded as her stomach dropped at the thought of having to leave Fred and the Burrow to live alone during the Magpies' summer training. Of course, Fred promised to visit for the weekends; and though Angelina believed him, it just wouldn't be the same.

Molly ushered Angelina to a seat near Hermione, and Angelina shot the girl a menacing look, causing Hermione to flush indignantly. "I swear Crookshanks wouldn't bother you so much if you just closed your door all the way!"

Ginny, looking a bit devious, mumbled through a mouthful of eggs, "But then how would Fred get in?"

All four females burst into a fit of laughter, Angelina feeling the burning flush of embarrassment crawling across her cheeks. She refused to make eye contact, taking instead an animated interest in her waffles.

"Well," Molly began again, her voice a mix of amusement and disproval at Ginny's comment, "we'll all be out for the day. Business for the Or-…well it doesn't really matter what were doing. You two can have some private time; I know how little you've had so far. Arthur will be away at work for the day, and once _Ronald_ (who has just walked downstairs bleary-eyed and disheveled) finishes getting ready, we'll be off."

The twins apparated downstairs completely dressed, sat down at either side of the table, and did their best impressions of muggle vacuum cleaners. With Fred, George, and Ron hard at work, the rest of the breakfast was quickly finished. Less than an hour later, everyone left at the house aside from Angelina and Fred were crowded around the fireplace, about to use the Floo.

Angelina found it strange that she was never quite able to make out where they were going. Obviously it had something to do with this 'order' they tried so badly to cover up. However, her curiosity was quickly won over by excitement at the prospect of one last day with Fred. As the last of the green Floo flames died away, she turned and eyed the redhead hungrily.

"A whole day alone…I do hope you've saved up your energy, Lovey. I fully intend to wear you out!"

She caught his lips in a passionate kiss, stopping once she sensed his lack of enthusiasm. Pulling back, she frowned as Fred refused eye contact. "Am I missing something? What's wrong?"

Eyes still cast downward, Fred mumbled his reply. "I don't want you to go."

His mood darkened even more when she began to laugh loudly. "I'm serious! You don't have to go! The shop's doing well…we can start a family…"

"Fred," she cut him off sharply, "What's gotten into you? You know how badly I've wanted this. I've driven you mad talking about quidditch since our 2nd year! What's this really about?"

"When you leave, I wont be able to protect you." His voice was small but strong, and carried with it so much more meaning than she'd expected. She found herself temporarily speechless. Two weeks, and she'd nearly forgotten that ominous and looming part of her life.

She laced her fingers into his and sighed heavily. She wanted to comfort him. She wanted to reassure herself as well. But no words would come. It was Fred that broke the silence. "Did you love him?"

Angelina winced, knowing immediately to whom he was referring. She knew because she was thinking of him just then. And for some reason wholly unexplainable, her thoughts were mingled with guilt. Sensing Fred's restlessness, she dutifully answered. "Yes, Fred."

And that's exactly what he didn't want to hear. The small house was soon filled with the sounds of shouting as Angelina tried vainly to calm her boyfriend down. "How could you…I wasn't gone for that long! I knew it—it started before. The hospital! It was his tie, wasn't it? Even when we were together-"

Fred clutched his cheek, his eyes wide with shock. Angelina shook her hand, relieving the residual sting from her palm crossing his face sharply. The slap had an immediate sobering affect on Fred, while Angelina became even more irate. "You just **don't** get it!"

She stormed up the stairs and into Percy's room, locking the door behind her with a particularly tricky charm. But for once, Fred made no attempt to follow her. He merely sat down on one of the beaten couches and stared at the wall, deep in thought. A floor above him, Angelina was leaning onto the door cursing herself for telling Fred the truth. But was it? When had she decided that she really did love David? _Easy_, a little voice came from the back of her mind, _you knew the moment he broke your trust_.

Long hours passed by, and Angelina blinked out of her somber trance and noticed dusk falling through the window. She stood and unlocked the door, slowly opening it to find Fred on the other side. Looking up at her from his cross-legged vigil, he began to speak but stopped when Angelina shook her head.

"No. No apologies. Let's just not do this, okay? Not today."

Angelina offered her hand. Fred nodded and took it, helping himself up to stand. Looking deeply into one another's eyes, neither quite knew what to do next.

"Fred!"

They never heard the loud crack signaling George's Apparition, but the panic in his voice was enough to send them flying down the stairs. George was pale and wide-eyed when they beheld him. He immediately made a beeline for his twin, grasping Fred's shoulders and addressing him as if Angelina wasn't even in the room.

"They've been taken! Lupin, Ronnie, Hermione…the Death Eaters found us a few miles from Grimmauld Place! Ginny and I were back a ways…I've sent her to get the rest of the Order…we've got to do something!"

As if on cue, both brothers whipped out their wands and prepared to apparate. Angelina stopped them. "Wait! What do you think you're going to do? Stop them yourselves? You'll be killed!"

"Angie, what do you expect us to do then? Just let them die?"

"Of course not, Fred. Just…let me go with you-"

"NO!" Fred's eyes bore into her own as he protested. "It's not safe for you."

Pulling out her own wand, she couldn't really be angry with him. Pleadingly, she put her hand on his chest. "You all are like family to me too. I can't _not_ do anything."

Fred's eyes softened, but George quickly squashed the potentially tender moment. "Well let's go then! While we still have a chance! Angie, I need you to think really carefully about this location: you need to go to number 12, Grimmauld Place."

Oddly, she found it more than a little difficult to focus on the location, and couldn't quite picture what part of London it was in. Fred hit his brother's shoulder knowingly. "She can't…you're not the Secret-Keeper. She won't find it without Dumbledore!"

"Dumbledore? What on earth-"

"Angie, just apparate downtown…4 blocks west of the Underground. In front of that little Italian café you took us to over Easter holiday."

She nodded, finding it much easier to come up with the general location in her mind's eye. Moments later, she was standing in the post-dusk windy blue of a London evening. Fred and George looked back at her, their faces mirroring bravery disguising apprehension. George's eyes scanned the horizon, lighting suddenly when he spotted a shock of bright red hair running at them.

"Ginny! You're supposed to be alerting the Order!"

"I know, but I wanted to follow them. What's the use of rousing everyone when we don't know where to go?"

Angelina nodded at the girl's logic. "Alright Gin, where are they headed?"

Ginny faced Fred, her expression dropping. "Fred…that's the thing. I don't know. They said something about "the lair". And…they all disappeared. I'm sorry…I don't know where they are…"

"So now not only do we have _no_ idea where they are, but we're the only ones that know they're even **gone**? This is bloody excellent!" George drove a frustrated fist through the air.

Angelina bit her lip and exchanged a dark look with Fred. "It's unplottable, but not unreachable."

The three Weasleys suddenly perked up and started at her hopefully. She continued slowly, searching for words to properly explain the hideout's location. Somehow she managed to covey the lair's whereabouts, and she along with Fred apparated there while Ginny and George went to get the Order members.

Angelina directed Fred to a darkened corner as they watched Professor Lupin, Hermione, and Ron being interrogated before the Dark Lord and his loyalists. Angelina shuddered at the long-forgotten memories of herself as a small child playing in these very corridors…so unaware of what her parents were discussing.

"You'll tell me…" a high, cold voice equally foreign and hauntingly familiar spoke down to the trio. "You'll tell me where the boy is or I will force you to do so."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but before she could do so, a resounding crack filled the room. Angelina and Fred watched, horrified, as Ginerva Weasley apparated into the room. "Shit!"

Angelina quickly put her hand over Fred mouth after his reactionary curse. He quickly removed it. "George should have never let her try and apparate here. She's too young!"

Her eyes widened as he began to move away from the shadowed hiding pot. "Fred," Angelina spoke in a heated whisper, "what do you think you're doing? There's _nothing_ you can do!"

He paused and slowly nodded. "I know, but…"

Unable to finish his sentence, Fred broke his gaze as Angelina's exes filled with tears. "I just…have to."

Fred and George both appeared in the doorway just as a pair of Death Eaters bore down on poor Ginny. "My, they seem to be coming out of the woodwork, don't they?"

The venomously soft voice beneath a dark hood laughed. Ron narrowed his eyes, searching his brain for the owner of that voice. It was Lupin who quickly identified Bellatrix Lestrange. She threw back her hood and smiled. She looked a bit healthier since their encounter at the Department of Mysteries. "They don't know. But let's at least take this opportunity to send Potter a message."

Lord Voldemort's bright red eyes considered the woman momentarily before mirroring her vicious smirk. "Kill them **all**."

Angelina watched wide-eyed as masked and hooded wizards raised their wands at the defenseless sextet. And all she could do was watch them die in front of her. Several wands began to glow slightly greenish at the tips, and she felt the sting of bile in her throat. There had to be something she could do…

"STOP!"

Every face turned to Angelina as she stood in the doorway, wand at the ready. "Really, this is just annoying now. Are you the last one?"

"Bellatrix, silence yourself." She shrunk slightly at the Dark Lord's admonishment, but still eyed the lanky girl dangerously.

"This is a pleasant surprise, girl. What brings you back? Surely you're not thinking of rescuing your friends. Perhaps you've reconsidered?" Voldemort's eerily soothing voice gave Angelina goose bumps.

Summoning the last dregs of her courage, she spoke as calmly as she could manage. "You don't want to kill them. Especially not just to spite Harry Potter."

She threw Bellatrix a nasty look. "This isn't about petty revenge. You have bigger things to deal with, and making martyrs of them won't provide you any real advantage. But I know I've not completely swayed you yet."

The huddle six watched the unfolding events rapturously as Angelina tried to spare their lives. Ginny cocked her head to the side and whispered to Fred, "Is that a _smile_ on Voldemort's face? What's going on here?"

"So I propose a trade. Let them go…and you'll get me instead."

Lupin gasped, and Fred began to struggle against the magical ropes binding his arms and shoulders. "What kind of deal is that," Bellatrix snarled, "you're already here!"

"You know as well as I do I'll apparate out of here the moment I see a spell coming my way. And I know how badly you've wanted to get your hands on me for the last year. So do we have an agreement?"

"She is right about the martyrs. She can be of great use to us. I accept. They may go."

Angelina's eyes narrowed as she shook her head. "Wizard's Oath. All of you. I'm not stupid."

Every last Death Eater, as well as the Dark Lord himself drew a small "x" over their heart that glowed purple for a few moments and then faded. Angelina followed suit. The magical ropes then vanished upon completion of the deal, reappearing immediately around Angelina's wrist and arms.

"Professor Lupin," Hermione inquired worriedly as she rubbed her wrists, "I don't understand. Wizard's Oath? I've never read about that."

"That's because it's seldom invoked, Miss Granger. You know the muggle phrase 'cross my heart and hope to die'? This is where is stems from. Breaking a Wizard's Oath is immediate death. They have to let us go unharmed, or each one will fall where they stand…even Lord Voldemort himself."

Nearby, George and Ron we having a time trying to control Fred, who was hysterically trying to reach Angelina. "No! Angel! Don't do this, please!"

Angelina bit her lower lip to try and keep herself from crying as she realized what she'd done. _But they're safe…and that's what matters_. Looking at Fred, she felt tears sting the corners of her eyes. "Please, just go-AHHH!"

She was suddenly blindsided by the Cruciatus Curse at the hands of not only Lord Voldemort, but also Bellatrix Lestrange and Peter Pettigrew. "I hope you didn't think your rebellion over this past year would go unpunished? The Dark Lord will not tolerate such behavior."

Angelina dropped to her knees, doubling over with pain. She couldn't hear herself screaming over the violent buzzing in her ears. Ginny and Hermione both began to cry uncontrollably while Fred redoubled his effort against his brothers, pleading vainly for them to stop the curse.

At the brink of unconsciousness, Angelina felt the curse lift. She remained on the ground, trembling slightly as her clothes stuck to her back from the cold sweat covering her skin. She turned her head slightly to see the six terror-struck, mouths agape. "J-Just go. Now."

Professor Lupin picked up a large chunk of loose cement, and tapped it with his wand. It glowed blue and shook momentarily, signal the successful creation of a Portkey. He tried to get the Weasleys and Hermione to each touch it, but their attentions were glued to the unfolding dialogue between Angelina and the Dark Lord.

"Well, I suppose it's time now. My question for you is wholly unsurprising, Angelina, but it will be the last time it is asked of you. Now, will you join me?"

An odd sort of smirk pulled at the corners of Angelina's mouth, and her eyes darted over to the six as she pushed herself up to her knees and replied. "My answer is just as unsurprising. Never."

Slightly annoyed, Voldemort raised his own wand. "I rather thought you'd say that. But in these last brave moments, surely our tragic heroine has some final words?"

Angelina looked over and weakly called out. "Fred."

He immediately broke away from the others and knelt beside Angelina. "I'm here, and I'm sorry I couldn't protect you…"

She put a finger to his lips and tried to smile reassuringly. "It was inevitable. But just remember to never stop fighting. Never. Someday you'll come to the point where you have to choose for yourself. But we always have a choice. Mine was easy. I choose you, Fred. Death isn't the worst thing. I love you. Now go!"

Professor Lupin, who was still holding the Portkey, pulled Fred back. Angelina watched as each of them placed their hands on the cement chunk before turning back to stare Voldemort's wand dead in the eye. "Pity," he mused, "this feels like such a waste."

Angelina turned her head towards the Death Eaters as Professor Lupin began his countdown aloud. Angelina's attention was drawn to one of the cloaked figures that looked a bit out of place from the rest. Very tall, his wand was clenched so tightly his knuckles went white. She tried however uselessly to see into the hood. He noticed and jumped slightly. Her eyes widened with recognition.

Out of her peripheral vision, she saw her friends vanish in a bluish swirl and a bright light began to emanate from Voldemort's wand. She tilted her head to the side, her eyes not leaving Montague's. _He said he'd do anything for me…even become a Death Eater to try and protect me. He should have known better…  
_

Her eyes snapped shut as she mouthed a single word to David: "tragic". She felt the bright light of the spell flash in front of her eyelids. In a single moment, she thought of everything. Everyone she loved and all the things she would miss. A single tear ran down her cheek. And then, there was nothing.

A/N: Whoa! oO Didja see that coming? That's it for this story! Don't forget to read and review, and feel free to flame if you didn't like the ending. I don't know if I like it either.


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